Rediscovering Presence: Lessons from a Rubber Duckie Moment 🛁🦆

When you think of a rubber duck, what comes to mind? Childhood, innocence, bath time, fun. Maybe even the tune of the 1970 Sesame Street classic, 'Ernie and his Rubber Duckie.'

 For me, that rubber duck was a reminder of childhood innocence, play, and living in the moment. Let me take you back to the moment I met Bob III, also known as the 'rubber duckie'.

It was just a few weeks ago, on the final day of my vacation. We had just celebrated my son’s 10th birthday, and his prized gifts were his rubber ducks (or as he calls them, rubber duckies).

So, on that last day of vacation, I was in the shower, going over everything I had to do in the upcoming week. Lost in thought, I could already feel the fast pace returning. Then, something bright yellow caught my eye. It was my son’s rubber duck. Instantly, I stopped mentally going through my to-do list and upcoming tasks. Instead, I fixed my gaze on the small duck and experienced a wakeup call.

I felt ashamed. I hate to admit it, but in my rush to prepare for the week ahead, I had momentarily lost sight of the present, of those precious moments spent with my little babes. The rubber duck served as a gentle reminder, a cosmic nudge urging me to embrace the now, to revel in the fleeting innocence and playful spirit of my children. These moments are treasures, and like the passing of summer, they too will soon become memories.

If I be honest with myself, I have always struggled with work-life balance/integration. Probably driven by my nature. So, I've been working on this and constantly reminding myself that #YOLO is real, and that tomorrow is not guaranteed.

So, when I sometimes find myself slipping back into old habits and not taking time for my family, here is what I remind myself:

☛ Taking a vacation is good for my soul and my family ✨🌞👪

☛ If in doubt about having time for a vacation, I watch an old campaign by Tui called Simon the Ogre.

☛ YOLO is real, so embrace the Now 🌼

As we conclude our sun-soaked escapades, get back to school and return to our desks, let's carry forward the wisdom of the rubber duckie. Let's enjoy the present and let's cherish our loved ones.

Here's to rubber duckie moments and booking our next vacation now! 🌺🦆

 #PresenceMatters #CherishTheMoment #LifeLessons #InspiredLiving

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Author: Michelle is the Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty. Before that, Michelle was the Chief Marketing, Citizenship & Communications officer for Samsung Electronics America and spent 16 years at Procter & Gamble, most of her time in Prestige Beauty, then moved to become the CMO at Vertu, British luxury handmade mobile handsets. For upcoming posts, follow Michelle on LinkedIn and twitter. All statements made, and opinions expressed in this article only reflect her personal opinion.